Social Enterprise in the European Union: A Review of Policy

This paper seeks to review the current state of social enterprise in the EU and to discuss key aspects of emerging policy. It presents an overview of social enterprise, the ‘Third Sector’ and the ‘Social Economy’, drawing on case examples from across the EU. The paper develops a critical assessment of current EU policy related to social enterprise, focusing in particular on the Social Business Initiative and resultant proposals. The paper concludes by arguing that social enterprise represents an important mechanism to address policy priorities within the EU and that the agenda set by the Social Business Initiative should be a key area of focus for EU policy over the coming years.